Bill Introduced to Make Public Aware of Neighborhood Caucuses

A bill that would not only improve public notice of Utah’s neighborhood caucus meetings, but block any other public meetings from being held the same day, will go before lawmakers during the upcoming legislative session. Republican Representative Kraig Powell, the bill’s sponsor, calls the neighborhood caucuses Utah’s “real election day.”

Under the bill, the Lieutenant Governor’s office would be responsible for posting and publishing in advance the dates and times of the neighborhood caucus meetings. Other meetings, like school board or city or county council meetings would not be allowed on those dates.

Powell says it seems Utah will continue with the caucus system for the near future, so the state needs to realize that if voters don’t attend, they’ve essentially been cut out of the political process.

The 2012 Utah Legislature begins Monday. The state’s neighborhood caucus meetings are set for mid-March. Democratic Senator Karen Mayne is a co-sponsor of Powell’s bill.